Riazan Principality

a feudal principality whose capital was first Riazan’ Staraia and later Riazan’. The principality seceded from the Murom-Riazan’ Land after the death of Prince Iaroslav Sviatoslavich in 1129. In the mid-12th century, the principality came into conflict with the Rostov-Suzdal’ Principality. In the late 12th and early 13th centuries, the Riazan’ Principality was subjugated by Vladimir, remaining dependent until the death of Vsevolod Bol’shoe Gnezdo.

The Mongol invasion destroyed the principality’s productive forces, devastated many of its towns, and greatly weakened princely authority. Reviving in the 14th century, the principality expanded its economic and political ties with other parts of Russia, the Golden Horde, and Lithuania. In the 14th century the principality included the area along the Oka River, stretching as far as the upper Oka. After a number of confrontations with Moscow, peaceful relations were established in the late 14th century, strengthened by the marriage of the Riazan’ prince Fedor Ol’govich (ruled from 1402 to c. 1417) to the daughter of Dmitrii Ivanovich Donskoi.

In the 15th century Riazan’ fell under the control of Moscow. At the end of the 15th century, when the sister of Ivan III, Anna Vasil’evna, ruled in Riazan’ (1464–1501), separatist tendencies grew strong in the principality, diminishing after her death. In 1520 Prince Ivan Ivanovich was removed from power by Moscow Grand Prince Vasilii III, and the principality was finally annexed to Moscow around 1521.